Top 10 Places for Fishing in Canada

Fishing is often a great combination of manliness and meditation (Manitation? Sure, why not?) It offers the best of getting in touch with nature, and the satisfaction of making a big catch. And some of the best places to fish are located in Canada. With Canada’s well-earned reputation for high-quality fishing opportunities, TopTenz is confident you’ll be able to find the right type of fishing experience for you somewhere in Canada. If you can’t find what you’re looking for in one of these locations, get yourself a “Gone Back to Work” sign for your boat or fishing lodge. And if you don’t fish (in Canada or elsewhere) or watch for whales, feel free to move onto to an older, more bizarre top 10 list you might not have read. We suggest this one about mysterious unexplained disappearances. Otherwise, read about the Best Fishing in Canada…

10. Great Slave Lake

The deepest and sixth largest lake in the North American continent, this lake offers many opportunities for excellent fly fishing. Located in the upper Northwest Territories, this is also one of the more out-of-the-way Canadian fishing choices. On the other hand, there’s forty-inch pike, thirty-pound trout, and lots of them. Recommended lodges to be found on the lake include Taltson Bay Pike Lodge, Frontier Fishing Lodge, and Plummer’s Great Slave Lake Lodge.

9. Polar Bear Provincial Park

This park is located along Hudson Bay in the Ontario Province. Although the name suggests that you are more likely to be some animal’s trophy than the other way round, the Canadian park has taken big steps to ensure the safety of the visitors. For example, there are electrified fences that are graded to withstand charging elephants, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. It’s good these are there, because permanent buildings are not available in the park, so you’ll have to rough it in a teepee while you visit. Still, the fishing is so good, that hauls of 80-100 speckled trout are the norm, with many huge individual catches. Since the park has an average of three hundred visitors per year, and only one hundred of them take time to fish, you also can be sure it won’t be too crowded.

8. Big River

For a fisherman who wants a more easily accessed place to get away from it all, there’s Big River Camps Inc. Visiting this secluded and charming area in Middle Southern Newfoundland requires only a short drive from Deer Island airport, and then a quick second flight to their camp site. In addition to a wide range of hunting game, there is an abundant offering of salmon, with a catch-and-release request to ensure returning schools of salmon.

7. Tobin Lake

Does walleye sound like the fish for you? Then you’ll want to check out the Tobin Lake Resort, where one lucky fisherman became the world record holder for walleye ice fishing. Located 33 kilometers north of the closest airport in Nipiwan, Saskatchewan, Tobin Lake Resort also offers extremely affordable lodging and boat rental prices. By the way, regarding that world record-setting pike, it was caught by Father Mariuz Zajac. A priest. Something to think about before you drop your line.

6. Kispiox River

Located in mid-British Columbia, this location is famous for having the world’s largest steelhead fish, so it’s another very good option for someone who wants to set a world record while fishing in Canada. The river is prone to blowing out, due to high rains, for its fifty fishable miles, making for a more potentially thrilling experience. Nearby is the alternative Skeena River if you’re not in the mood for that. We highly recommend checking out the Bear Claw Lodge, whose beauty really speaks for itself.

5. North Lake

Want to really go for the big fish and catch some tuna? We’re not talking just any ol’ tiny tuna that fits in a can, but giant bluefin tuna. Then there’s no passing up North Lake, located in the far Eastern Canadian Prince Edward Island, perfect for after you’ve visited Big Camps River Inc. Your recommended contact to arrange for some rewarding tuna fishing is Tony’s Tuna Fishing. Seriously, fish that average 600-1200 pounds? The defense rests.

4. Bay of Quinte

Suitable for fishermen who just had to visit Toronto and didn’t want to travel too far from there, the Bay Of Quinte offers some excellent Canada fishing for largemouth bass, walleye, and a variety of other game fish. While there are several areas within this bay that are worth looking into, TopTenz particularly recommends Merland Park Resort for walleye fishing.

3. Jasper National Park

Specifically, you’ll want to go to Lake Malinge in this park situated in Alberta, west of Edmonton. Benefiting especially from runoff from the Rocky Mountain range, the amount and variety of trout, just waiting for you to catch them, is extremely tempting. The park is so popular that, in 2006, it drew over 1.9 million visitors. The fishermen among that many visitors can’t be all wrong.

2. Crow (Kakagi) Lake

From muskies to bass to lake whitefish, diverse schools of fish occupy this Ontario lake. It provides some monsters that might just help you set some records. It is also located near the Hudson Bay, and is part of a large collection of bodies of water called Lake of the Woods. Foremost among the resorts available to the the enterprising fisherman is the Lakeview Lodge. They also offer the option of baited bear hunting and deer hunting, but who wants to do that when you can fish in Canada?

1. Tree River

Rated by wilderness and outdoor adventure blogAcross and Abroad as the best arctic char fishery in the world, Tree River is located in the western section of the far northern Nunavut Province. Arctic char is a type of salmon, and the world record catch was thirty-two pounds. Who knows, the next one might be caught by you. The river empties into the Arctic Ocean, so a great view is within easy access. Like with our #10 entry on this list, TopTenz is going to recommend one of the lodges that are part of the Plummers Artic Lodge chain. This time it’s Plummers Artic Lodge Tree River Camp, for reasons which will be obvious in the video above.

Do you have any suggestions for the best places to fish in Canada? Got any (fish) stories of your Canadian fishing trips? Please share in the comments below.

14 Responses

My father inlaw has a fly in fish camp near Nipiwan, Saskatchewan and a couple years ago they saw a bald eagle swoop down grab a huge lake trout and strugled to fly off with it and eventualy the fish pulled the eagle into the lake 20-30 feet from the shore and it drowned. Wolf lake near Cold Lake Alberta caught a 26lbs northern pike, and Keely lake Saskachewan caught a 17lbs northern pike and a 12.5lbs walley.

It all depends on what you are hunting and where. Assuming you are a non-resident hunter in ontario, you will pay $65 for a hunting license, $93 for a small games license, and $23 for a turkey seal. The seal is only good for one turkey.

I now have an empty 10 gallon and want to get a new one. I was looking into some fin varieties that I can’t find in Canada (halfmoon, double-tail, etc) and know that the Petco in Bellingham might have some.

Some happy guests qoutes:
“My first fishing camp experience and our stay was wonderful. More beautiful than expected, fun to
hike to all the lakes, exciting to cast, hook and set a VERY active rainbow trout.” Barbara, California, USA

These look like some good destinations. Ive been to many of the lodges in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The best fishing for Pike, Walleye, grayling and Lake trout is at Ganglers Lodge in Northern Manitoba Canada. I always go back because of the huge fish I caught there consistently. They also have the best service. Their people are very attentive and friendly. Havent found anything equal to this Canadian gem. Check out their site http://www.ganglers.com
This place I rank as probably the top fishing lodge.

I’m sure all these places offer great fishing. It really is hard to say what fishing area is best – anything up north is better than the states! I personally have had 100+ Walleye days in the Wabakimi Wilderness area of Ontario (lodge was Thunderhook fly-ins http://www.thunderhook.com). The only tough part about Wabakimi is it’s fly-in only, so if you’re looking for remote isolation with top-notch fishing give Wabakimi a shot!

there is not best are for fishing…..it depend on you the fisher men.
1.this is how it works
it is not all fishermen beeing satisfied with there fishing …you maust understand that that fishing gose on with this type off people .
some are born with the blood of fish in there hands …this type of people can never lake fish ..whent there go for it
.. some deels with toomush faith this type off people too are good in fishing
people who love anything doing with water ..this type of people if there are fishermen there will allways been ok with there fishing ….conctate me to know more about fishing